The Wild Angels (1966)

The "Angles", a San Pedro motorcycle gang, parties in the Coachella Valley's Palm Springs Indian Canyons, California, and wreaks havoc with the local police.

Director:

Roger Corman

Writer:

Charles B. Griffith

Stars:

Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra, Bruce Dern

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Fonda	...	Heavenly Blues
Nancy Sinatra	...	Mike 'Monkey'
Bruce Dern	...	Joe 'Loser' Kearns
Diane Ladd	...	Gaysh
Buck Taylor	...	Dear John
Norman Alden	...	Medic
Michael J. Pollard	...	Pigmy
Lou Procopio	...	Joint
Joan Shawlee	...	Momma Monahan
Marc Cavell	...	Frankenstein
Coby Denton	...	Bull Puckey
Frank Maxwell	...	Preacher
Gayle Hunnicutt	...	Suzie
Gina Grant
Art Baker	...	Thomas - Mortician

Storyline

Peter Fonda plays 'Heavenly Blues', the leader of the Angels, a motorcycle gang from San Pedro, California; Bruce Dern plays 'Loser', his best pal. When they both botch their attempt to retrieve Loser's stolen bike, Loser ends up in the hospital. When the Angels bust him out, he dies, and they bury him. Nancy Sinatra plays Mike, Blues' "old lady" and Diane Ladd plays Loser's wife (Dern's real-life wife at the time). The plot is basically a buildup to the last half-hour of the film in which Loser's funeral becomes another wild party.

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Plot Keywords:

motorcycle | cult director | drive in classic | psychotronic | cult film | 

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Taglines:

Their credo is violence... Their God is hate...

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug-related material

Details

Official Sites:

MGM Studios [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 July 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

All the Fallen Angels

Filming Locations:

Palm Springs, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$360,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$6,500,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Hells Angels brought a $5-million defamation lawsuit against Roger Corman for what they perceived as a negative portrayal of their image.

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Goofs

During the final party, Loser's corpse moves his arm towards his chest.

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Quotes

Medic: [said jokingly to girl dancing] Hey, don't get none of that on me!

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Connections

Featured in Wanderlust (2006)

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Soundtracks

Lonely in the Chapel
Written by Mike Curb
Performed by The Hands of Time

User Reviews

"A rape of decency! A parody of pleasure!"

Roger Corman's modestly-budgeted biker flick for American International opens brilliantly, with evocative shots by cinematographer Richard Moore that promise a lot more than what Corman, screenwriter Charles Griffith, or the cast members can eventually deliver. Plot has Southern California biker gang enjoying rumbles, cycle jousts, hassling the Mexicans, and outrunning the local heat; but when Bruce Dern steals a police-bike and gets shot, gang "president" Peter Fonda hatches a plan to break him out of the hospital and thus keep him out of prison. Fairly raw and uncompromising, the picture looks terrific from start to finish, but the line-readings are sometimes so awkward that one wishes Corman could cut back on dialogue and just allow the visuals to tell the story. Sort of the older brother to "Easy Rider", "Angels" was eclipsed in popularity and relevance only a few years later, but it's fairly gripping and visceral overall, occasionally amusing, and features some fine actors in support (Diane Ladd, Gayle Hunnicutt, Michael J. Pollard, and Nancy Sinatra, whose hospital crying scene is a hoot). **1/2 from ****